Collaborative Life Sciences Building and Skourtes Tower

Oregon Health & Science University has opened the Collaborative Life Sciences Building & Skourtes Tower, which is the largest academic building in Oregon.

The complex is 650,000 square feet, including the parking garage, and was built as a joint venture between OHSU, Portland State University and Oregon State University.

Sharing the $295 million building will allow the universities to expand their health and science programs without duplicating education and research space.

The 12-story building includes a 403-seat lecture hall, classrooms, labs, specialty research centers and offices. It will also house the OHSU School of Dentistry.

Rather than divide the space among the universities by floor, labs are integrated and classrooms shared. It is designed to encourage interaction among the universities’ faculty, graduates and undergraduates, from shared labs with special instruments to shared office space.

Students from different health care professions will mingle and train together. Suspended walkways connect the disciplines and a student lounge features a deck with a river view.

Owner: Oregon Health & Science University,
Portland State University and Oregon State University

Design architect: CO Architects, Los Angeles

Executive architect: Sera Architects, Portland

General contractor: JE Dunn Construction

Project manager/owner’s representative: Day CPM

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